


Whimsical Souls

by hazellepotter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Death, F/M, First Love, Loss, Regret, Wizarding Wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 07:44:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13759476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazellepotter/pseuds/hazellepotter
Summary: She knew she should not care anymore. Their relationship was over, done. It had been done for a year, but she could not help herself. She wanted to see if he was safe.





	Whimsical Souls

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this two years ago when I thought I was going to write this as a long slow-burn fic. However, I dropped the project and thought I would edit and share the beginning with all of you. I might add to it in the future, but I almost like this as a stand-alone piece as it is. Fred and Hermione were one of the first non-canon pairings I started to ship, so I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Also, I know that this is not compliant with book canon with Fred's death, and for many reasons, I decided to portray his death like the movies instead. I just want to assure you that I do know what Fred's death was actually like in the books and that Hermione was there for it. Writing it like his death in the book would not have the same impact I was looking for. Thanks for being understanding. x

She could feel her pulse in her ears as she walked through the Great Hall. All she could see was red. Blood was spread across the floor; bodies had been dragged in throughout the night. She gulped and closed her eyes. She felt Ron’s hand gently brush up against hers as he took the lead. Harry was behind her, and she could sense that he was hesitant to see the destruction Voldemort had caused. He would blame himself, and Hermione wished she could reassure him in this moment that none of this could have been avoided. She did not have the words, and she no longer had the energy. Guilt rushed through her body as she thought of **him.** She knew she should not care anymore. Their relationship was over, _done._ It had been done for a year, but she could not help herself. She wanted to see if he was safe. She was with Ron now, like she should be. She needed to focus on that fact.

She finally opened her eyes as she felt Harry pass her. She heard sobs coming from up ahead, and she directed her gaze to the sound. Harry paused and froze. She walked up slowly and realized who the wracking sobs were coming from. Her breath hitched, and she felt her hands start to shake. George got up from on the ground and lunged his body towards Ron. Ron looked taken aback. The emotion etched upon his face was pain. It was then that Ron moved forward and bent down to the ground. He cried and wailed above the body he was hovering over.

Hermione’s vision blurred as she recognized the figure. She should have known from George’s heavy breathing and his shaking chest. He had no composure.

**_It was Fred, and Fred had to be dead._ **

She stopped in her tracks, and she started to hyperventilate. _No._ This could not happen to him, she would not let it happen. She couldn’t move forward, and she felt someone wrap their arms around her. She could not figure out who it was until they spoke. She did not care anyway, all she could think about was him. _How he would always rub the skin behind her ears before they kissed, the smirk that would spread across his lips every time he whispered witty joke under his breath, the way his eyes softened as his gaze found hers. She thought of how she ended it, how he pleaded her to stay._ It was all too much, and Ginny’s words did not help.

“Fred is dead, Hermione. I.. I.” She stuttered, not being able to contain her composure any longer. She wept into Hermione’s shoulder, but Hermione did not have the strength to hug her back. Ron finally rose from his position on the ground, and she could see Fred’s face clearly now. He was pale; he looked lifeless. _He was lifeless._ His eyes were shut. They would no longer linger on her as she read her novels, she would never catch him staring again as he did so, she would no longer see him blush, his eyes would no longer dance with humor and child-like optimism. _He was gone, and this was the end._

Hermione was no longer in control of her body, and she did not realize she screamed until George approached her. Ginny loosened her grip on Hermione and cried into her own hands. Hermione could see Ron trying to make his way to her, but George had beat him to it. He wrapped Hermione in his arms, and she loved how familiar his body felt. It was selfish of her to take comfort in this moment. This was the closest she would ever get to Fred again.

George did not say anything as Hermione screamed. People in the Great Hall noticed, but they did not come to console her. Others began to sob. Hermione could no longer see past the moisture gathering in her eyes, but she felt George let go of her. She stumbled towards Fred’s body, and she felt fingers lace their way through hers. She knew it was Mrs. Weasley by her gentle touch.

Mrs. Weasley kissed her temple, and she felt one of her tears hit her cheek. She brushed Hermione’s curls out of her face as she looked down at Fred. Hermione touched his face softly. He was so pale he looked like porcelain, but his face was still soft like it always was before. It had not yet cooled from his morbid state.

 _“I’m sorry,”_ Hermione wept, _“I’m .. I’m. I’m.. I loved..”_

She could not finish her sentence, because she feared what the ending meant. It would display the truth. It would tell her that it was now officially over. It was all done, and there was no going back to fix her mistakes.


End file.
